8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

Learning key skills to develop rich client and web-based applications on the Microsoft-based platform is what this track is all about. In this track you will learn how to develop rich, interactive and interoperable applications for both the client and the web using our newest tools and frameworks. You’ll learn how to build software that helps to give your users the best experience possible, whether it’s a program running on Windows 7, a website built on ASP.NET MVC or a Silverlight-based rich internet application. You’ll also learn how to build services that can deliver data to almost any platform and internet-enabled device. And finally, you’ll learn how to build these software and services in ways that are modular and maintainable.

Front End: User Interface and Experience

Session 1: What’s New in Silverlight 3
Rich internet applications just got richer! Silverlight 3 is packed with new features and improvements that your users will notice, from pixel shaders to perspective 3D to animation enhancements to bitmap APIs to HD video. We think you’ll also be impressed by the features for developers, such as the updated style model, data binding improvements, better resource handling, and a tuned-up Web services stack. In this session, we’ll explore new features of Silverlight 3 as we build a Silverlight-based application using Expression Blend 3 and Visual Studio.

Session 2: Expression Blend for Developers
Not a designer? Overwhelmed by Expression Blend? Not a problem! We’ll show you how to use Expression Blend to create advanced and polished user interfaces for business applications, consumer applications, multimedia projects, games or anything in between. We’ll cover features of Expression Blend from a developer's perspective and show how it works in tandem with Visual Studio throughout the development process. You’ll learn how to create professional-looking user interfaces and visual elements – even if you don’t think of yourself as an interface designer.

Session 3: Building Modular Applications Using Silverlight and WPF
How do you build extensible and maintainable line-of-business applications in Silverlight and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)? How do you design and code to handle real-world complexity? Composite Application Guidance (a.k.a. "PRISM") offers guidance, libraries and examples – in small, free-standing, digestible chunks – that you can use to build applications with rich user interfaces that are also easier to maintain and extend. You’ll learn how to compose complex UIs from simpler views, integrate loosely coupled components with "EventAggregator" and "Commands", develop independent modules that can be loaded dynamically, and share code between Silverlight and WPF clients.

Session 4: Optimizing Your Apps for the Windows 7 User Experience
This session will show you the Windows 7 APIs that will let your applications – and your users – get the full Windows 7 experience. Learn about new extensibility methods to surface your application's key tasks. Discover how enhancements to the taskbar, Start Menu, thumbnails, desktop elements, the Scenic Ribbon, Federated Search and Internet Explorer 8 provide new ways for you to delight your users and help make them more productive. If you want to give your users the best Windows 7 experience, this session is for you!

Bonus Session: Upgrading to Visual Studio 2010
With the release of the Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 wave of products, from Visual Studio Professional to Visual Studio Ultimate and Team Foundation Server, there are a number of important considerations when upgrading. In this session, we’ll provide an overview of the new capabilities in the VS 2010 releases, as well as cover issues such as migrating solutions to Visual Studio 2010 format, upgrading Team Foundation Server to TFS 2010, as well as migrating Team Projects and adding support for new capabilities to these projects.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

Learning key skills to develop rich client and web-based applications on the Microsoft-based platform is what this track is all about. In this track you will learn how to develop rich, interactive and interoperable applications for both the client and the web using our newest tools and frameworks. You’ll learn how to build software that helps to give your users the best experience possible, whether it’s a program running on Windows 7, a website built on ASP.NET MVC or a Silverlight-based rich internet application. You’ll also learn how to build services that can deliver data to almost any platform and internet-enabled device. And finally, you’ll learn how to build these software and services in ways that are modular and maintainable.

Back End: Programming Frameworks and Principles

Session 1: Introducing ASP.NET MVC
You’ve probably heard the buzz about Model-View-Controller (MVC) web frameworks. They’re all the rage because they combine speed, simplicity, control...and fun. ASP.NET MVC is Microsoft’s MVC web framework, and in this session, we’ll talk about the MVC pattern, explain the ideas behind ASP.NET MVC and walk through the process of building an application using this new web framework. We’ll also cover several techniques to get the most out of ASP.NET MVC and deliver web applications quickly and with style.

Session 2: SOLIDify Your Microsoft ASP.NET MVC Applications
Object-oriented programming makes it easier to manage complexity, but only if you do it right. The five SOLID principles of class design (one for each letter) help ensure that you’re writing applications that are flexible, comprehensible and maintainable, and we’ll explain and explore them in this session. We’ll start with a brittle ASP.NET MVC application that’s badly in need of refactoring and fix it by applying the SOLID principles. This session is a good follow-up for Introducing ASP.NET MVC, but it’s also good for developers of ASP.NET MVC looking to improve their code – or even if you’re not planning to use ASP.NET MVC. The SOLID principles apply to programming in any object-oriented language or framework.

Session 3: Building RESTful Services with WCF
REST (REpresentational State Transfer) is an architectural style for building services, and it’s the architectural style of the web. It’s been popular outside the world of Microsoft development for a long time, but it’s quickly becoming the de facto standard inside as well. Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) makes it simple to build RESTful web services, which are easy to use, simple and flexible. In this session, we’ll cover the basics of REST and the show you how to build REST-based, interoperable web services that can be accessed not just by Microsoft-based web and desktop applications, but anything that can communicate via HTTP from an Ajax client to a feed readers to mobile device to applications written using other languages and frameworks such as PHP, Python/Django or Ruby/Rails.

Session 4: Developing and Consuming Services for SharePoint
The world gets more service-oriented every day, and with that comes the demand to integrate all kinds of services, including those from SharePoint. This session introduces SharePoint as a developer platform and provides an overview of how you can build and deploy custom services with it. The focus will be on developing ASP.NET and Windows Communication Foundation services for SharePoint as well as building a Silverlight client to consume them.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

This track is all about taking your skills up a notch while at the same time ensuring effective and efficient interaction with all members of the development team from IT architect, to developer, to tester. You will learn about the importance of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and how to leverage the Visual Studio development platform to streamline your efforts. You will learn some best practices from industry professionals while building upon your technical foundation.

Core Fundamentals and Best Practices

Session 1: Tips and Tricks for Visual Studio
This session enhances your experience with Visual Studio. Keyboard shortcuts, macros, layouts, fonts, tools, and external utilities are all very powerful and underused features of Visual Studio. This session makes you more productive in Visual Studio. Bring your pen and pad because you'll definitely want to take notes!

Session 2: Test Driven Development Techniques
In recent empirical study from Microsoft Research, four case studies were conducted and the results indicated that by using Test-Driven Development (TDD) the pre-release bugs decreased by 40-90% relative to similar projects that did not use TDD. Subjectively, the teams experienced a 15-35% increase in initial development time after adopting TDD. In this session learn some of the key techniques for effectively using TDD to drive the creation of better software, reduce the defect density in projects, and help improve overall productivity.

Session 3: Patterns for the Rest of Us
Patterns. Patterns. Patterns. You hear them everywhere. We're told to use them and call them by names, as if the pattern is a colleague of ours. Hey, did you see Observable Pattern in the demo this morning? If you feel left out in conversations where Pattern buzzwords are thrown around, this session is for you. This session introduces Patterns with imagery, code, terms, and fun and games to help you better understand and remember pattern usage.

Session 4: A Strategic Comparison of Data Access Technologies from Microsoft
Thanks to recent innovations from Microsoft including LINQ, the Entity Framework and ADO.NET Data Services, choosing a technology for data access architecture has become a subject for debate. Among other things, developers must balance productivity, elegance, and performance. Some common questions include: Are data readers and data sets still useful? How should I choose between LINQ and Entity Framework models? Should I design custom entities or use types that follow the database schema? Should I use ADO.NET Data Services to expose my data model or control access via Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) business services? This session looks at data access architecture for each of these technologies, illustrates common practices when employing each, discusses pros and cons, and helps you better understand how to choose the right technology for your scenario.

Bonus Session: How ISVs can strengthen their business by Working with Microsoft
Curious on how your software development company can get the most out of working with Microsoft? We have a variety of different programs for Startups all the way through to established, mature businesses. Come learn how you can gain access to free Microsoft licenses and leverage reseller program that help establish competitive advantages. Partner Account Managers from Microsoft Canada’s Independent Software Vendor team will be on hand to provide you with the details and answer questions you may have.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

This track is all about taking your skills up a notch while at the same time ensuring effective and efficient interaction with all members of the development team from IT architect, to developer, to tester. You will learn about the importance of Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) and how to leverage the Visual Studio development platform to streamline your efforts. You will learn some best practices from industry professionals while building upon your technical foundation.

Team System Fundamentals and Best Practices

Session 1: Practical Web Testing
This session is about looking at the past, present, and future of Web testing. We begin by looking at how Web testing was accomplished before the arrival of Microsoft Visual Studio Team System. Next, you will learn about the Web and load testing tools available in Visual Studio Team System 2005/2008.

Session 2: Better Software Change and Configuration Management Using TFS
A critical factor in getting the most out of Team Foundation Server is understanding the version control and build systems. In this session, learn how use Team Build and Team Foundation Server Version Control to effectively manage concurrent development branches. Learn about how set up your repository structure and how to define builds. Learn about different branching techniques like branch by feature and branch for release. Learn how builds help you find what has changed in branches and how to manage releases, service packs, and hot fixes. Attend this session to see how the API can help create better release documentation and get you out the door sooner.

Session 3: Metrics That Matter: Using Team System for Process Improvement
Process improvement without adequate metrics is shooting in the dark -- you might hit your target, but it's impossible to aim and difficult to determine how close you were to hitting your goal. In this session we look at how Microsoft Visual Studio Team System collects data, and how we can modify our process to collect the right data. Then we talk about several candidate metrics (top ten key metrics) that many real-world organizations have used to achieve real improvements and help get an excellent return on investment in Team Foundation Server implementation. We frame the discussion and demos around using a process improvement effort (either formal or informal) to help your Team System implementation get you the ROI you deserve!

Session 4: Database Change Management with Team System
If you develop database enabled applications on top of SQL Server, you owe it to yourself to considering doing it better with Visual Studio Team System. In this session, you’ll learn about changes to how the product works under the covers and what that means to you. Then, you’ll learn how to use the product to design, build, and deploy your databases to development, test, and production environments -- all with purpose and method instead of the more traditional madness that can be found in many shops in the wild.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

As a new version of the Windows client operating system gets released you find yourself thinking about a number of issues – Will it run on my hardware? How can I deploy it efficiently across my organization? Will all of the applications we need work with the new version of Windows? What are my options to ensure key applications will function properly? How can I help secure our organization’s desktops? How can I provide my users with easier and secure access to our network? In the Windows Client track you will learn the skills to allow you to answer all of these questions and more. You will learn how to implement key technologies like DirectAccess and BranchCache providing a richer user experience, as well as easier administration, with the combination of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Deployment and Migration

Session 1: Easing the Migration from Windows XP to Windows 7
While the first two sessions gave you the knowledge you need to deploy Windows 7 there is a large base of existing Windows XP-based systems that can’t be upgraded to Windows 7 but will rather need to be migrated. In this session you will learn how to leverage both MDT 2010 and USMT 4.0 to perform a migration of Windows XP to Windows 7 while preserving the users’ profile data.

Session 2: Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010: The Next Generation
Windows 7 is finally out and the wait to deploy is over. Now what? How do you get Windows installed on 10 or 100 or 1000 desktops with all the drivers and applications required? Attend this session and get ahead of the curve and be prepared to walk through installation, image creation, and deployment scenarios.

Session 3: A Geek's Guide to Windows User State Migration Tool 4.0
Maintaining user profiles and data is critical to a successful deployment of Windows. This session shows how Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) 4.0 can be used as an integral part of a fully automated deployment environment. The session covers advanced techniques for migrating user files and settings, including modifying and troubleshooting user state migration.

Session 4: Working the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
Recovering Windows has been simplified thanks to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). In this session you will learn how to build and configure a recovery solution using WinRE, a solution based on Windows PE. Learn to add the necessary Windows PE components, use the WinRE scripts and to customize the WinRE environment. Also learn about the new WinRE features for Windows 7.

Bonus Session: Application-Aware Data Protection with Dell EqualLogic
Dell EqualLogic PS Series storage arrays provide a comprehensive SAN platform that includes Dell EqualLogic Auto-Snapshot Manager, a data management tool that integrates with Microsoft® Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) software to enable application aware data protection and management. Auto-Snapshot Manager helps IT administrators create and restore snapshots, clones, and replicas of Microsoft SQL Server®, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and NT File System (NTFS) data at the application level, enabling simplified data management and enhanced business continuity and data integrity. Auto-Snapshot Manager is included at no additional cost with all Dell EqualLogic PS Series SAN arrays.

Join Dell for a one-hour live presentation and full product demonstration of a virtualized storage infrastructure. Learn how you can achieve a comprehensive data protection strategy for Hyper-V, Exchange, and SQL Server

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

As a new version of the Windows client operating system gets released you find yourself thinking about a number of issues – Will it run on my hardware? How can I deploy it efficiently across my organization? Will all of the applications we need work with the new version of Windows? What are my options to ensure key applications will function properly? How can I help secure our organization’s desktops? How can I provide my users with easier and secure access to our network? In the Windows Client track you will learn the skills to allow you to answer all of these questions and more. You will learn how to implement key technologies like DirectAccess and BranchCache providing a richer user experience, as well as easier administration, with the combination of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Application Compatibility

Session 1: Inside the Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5
Application compatibility has been a blocker for Windows Vista and there still may be some applications that get in your way. In this session, you will learn about the new features and functionality in the latest version of the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5, which can help you to accelerate the deployment of Windows Vista or Windows 7 into your organization. In addition, this session will help you go deeper into the previously undocumented components of ACT 5.5, such as the Agent Framework, the developer and test tools, and the compatibility evaluators.

Session 2: Solving Application Compatibility Issues with Virtualization
When planning for an operating system migration it's important to understand what's running in your environment and how to mitigate any application compatibility concerns. ACT 5.5 can be used to mitigate some of these issues and the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) provides the Application Inventory Service to inventory your software and hardware, as well as Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V), Windows XP Mode, and Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) technologies to help applications run in the new environment. This session will present an architectural overview of these technologies and explain key implementation details for each focusing on their core usage scenarios.

Session 3: Windows-Based Application Readiness for Developers
While there are a lot of tools to mitigate application compatibility issues the best way to resolve them is to fix the application. Learn the best practices on how to write compatible applications for the Windows operating system and how to migrate Windows XP-based applications to Windows 7 and Windows Vista.

Session 4: No Budget for Tools? No Problem! Hot Tools on a Limited IT Budget
Budgets are limited and the economic downturn has just limited them further. How can you do your job when the IT budget has been cut? Where should you spend your precious cash? What free inexpensive tools are available for network troubleshooting, testing, security, and monitoring? Where can you learn what's out there for little or no money? Attend this session and discover a set of tools to help you get the job done!

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

Organizations are looking to you to help them implement technologies that will streamline operations and help reduce costs. In this track you will learn how to migrate to and implement a virtualized infrastructure while also increasing availability. You will see how Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, and the System Center suite of products provide a robust solution to deploy and manage your datacenter. You will learn how to take advantage of new enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2 to enhance scalability and availability, as well as how to help secure your organization from external and internal threats with the Forefront suite of security products. Automating administration allows you to focus more on key issues for the business, and we will show you how to leverage the System Center suite of products to help reduce your workload while increasing your effectiveness. As well, you will learn how to take advantage of these and to use best practices to help ensure your SQL Server and other server components operate efficiently and securely.

Virtualization and Management

Session 1: From Zero to Live Migration: How to Set Up a Live Migration
Live migration is one key feature of Windows Server 2008 R2 which brings Microsoft's dynamic datacenter vision one step closer. With live migrations, customers can move virtual machines (VMs) from a host Hyper-V server to another without any perceived downtime. Come spend a session understanding what live migration is and how it will help you; and walk through setting up a live migration environment from start to finish.

Session 2: SCVMM 2008: Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO) and Management Integration
This session covers management integration for System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 via PowerShell and the Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO) feature. PowerShell enables remote management of Hyper-V and automates some of the management tasks from a deployment and operations perspective. PowerShell can be used to automate across the different System Center tools to dynamic balance and backup. PRO integrates System Center Operations Manager 2007 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008 to provide host-level and application-aware optimization of virtual machines. Learn how PRO tips can allow administrators to dynamically balance and optimize their servers at the physical, virtual, and workload levels.

Session 3: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Virtualization Considerations and Best Practices
Virtualization is one of the key industry trends. Organizations are virtualizing small departmental workload to critical workload to cut cost, provide business continuity, and easier management of servers. In this session, learn about virtualized deployment of SQL Server and some the best practices for creating a virtualized SQL Server-based infrastructure. We provide insights on performance tradeoffs and cover topics such as using virtualization for business continuity. We also talk about the future roadmap for SQL Server virtualization. Learn about all aspects of SQL Server virtualization in this session.

Session 4: Monitoring UNIX/Linux with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2
It is common in datacentres to find alongside Windows-based servers, hosts running applications on UNIX and Linux platforms. All of these will often be an important component in one or more IT services being delivered to internal or external customers. This session presents the new and enhanced heterogeneous monitoring capabilities of Systems Center Operations Manager 2007 R2, and will show you how to help assure both the health and performance of the applications running across your Windows, UNIX, and Linux servers. You will learn about the Operations Manager Unix and Linux component architecture, module details, and management pack components. Demos will include how to Configure, Discover and monitor (both baselining and logfile monitoring) UNIX and Linux hosts, as well as tuning the Management Pack and producing reports about your UNIX and Linux hosts.

Bonus Session: Interoperable Web Platform: IIS7, Web Platform Installer and Web App Gallery
Setting up a web platform environment has never been so easy with Microsoft IIS7, WebPI and App Gallery. Find out how you can deploy and manage heterogeneous web apps, from ASP.NET to PHP, all within the easy-to-use IIS7 framework. See the updated modular architecture, extensions and tools that take the guess-work out of installing some of the most popular apps like DotNetNuke, mojoPortal and even PHP apps like Drupal, WordPress, Gallery and many others. We’ll also show you what’s new in the Microsoft Web Platform, powerful development / design tools from Microsoft for building web applications and demo new IIS7 capabilities and modules for interoperability.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

Organizations are looking to you to help them implement technologies that will streamline operations and help reduce costs. In this track you will learn how to migrate to and implement a virtualized infrastructure while also increasing availability. You will see how Windows Server 2008, Hyper-V, and the System Center suite of products provide a robust solution to deploy and manage your datacenter. You will learn how to take advantage of new enhancements in Windows Server 2008 R2 to enhance scalability and availability, as well as how to help secure your organization from external and internal threats with the Forefront suite of security products. Automating administration allows you to focus more on key issues for the business, and we will show you how to leverage the System Center suite of products to help reduce your workload while increasing your effectiveness. As well, you will learn how to take advantage of these and to use best practices to help ensure your SQL Server and other server components operate efficiently and securely.

Windows Server 2008 R2 and Security

Session 1: Reinventing Remote Access with DirectAccess
For years, end users have complained about the difficulty of using VPNs. IT managers have complained about the difficulty of managing and supporting those same users. With Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, these problems are a thing of the past. DirectAccess provides an "always-on" connection to the corporate network for remote users, anytime and virtually anywhere. Users can seamlessly access the Internet and corporate resources. IT managers can monitor, patch, troubleshoot, and support remote users any time they are Internet-connected. In this session, you will learn how to deploy of DirectAccess. We cover the client, server, and infrastructure components. We describe underlying technologies such as IPv6 and IPsec. We also describe the policy options that allow DirectAccess to be customized to meet the security and connectivity requirements of particular enterprise networks.

Session 2: BranchCache: Helping You Save on WAN Bandwidth Consumption at Branch Offices
BranchCache is a new Feature in Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows 7 that helps reduces the bandwidth consumed and improves end user experience while accessing intranet-based HTTP and SMB content. This session introduces challenges in network performance often faced by remote branch offices which accessing content stored in servers located in datacenters across trans-continental Wide Area Networks, and how BranchCache helps in addressing these challenges. You will learn how BranchCache works and see a demonstration of this new feature in Windows Server 2008R2 and Windows 7, as well as learn how to configure BranchCache.

Session 3: Server Management Improvements in Windows Server 2008 R2
Come to this session to find out how to optimize your server management experience with Windows Server 2008 R2. We will discuss new features including the highly requested Server Manager Remoting functionality, Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) Enhancements, Server Migration and Best Practices analyzer (BPA). The new Server Migration Tools help ease the transition from one computer running Windows Server 2003 or later to another computer running Windows Server 2008 R2. Best Practices Analyzers allow IT Professionals to reduce troubleshooting overhead by efficiently and proactively diagnosing and addressing common server configuration problems and maintaining optimal server configuration. Demos include remote server management using Windows PowerShell, migration of Server Roles, data and shares and Best Practices Analyzer Scans and Reports.

Session 4: Best Practices in Architecting and Implementing Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
You're using WSUS, but are you using it to its fullest extent? In this tips and tricks session, learn the best ways to architect and implement WSUS for the improved security of your organization. Learn the best ways to manage your updates on both servers and clients for high-reliability application. Plus, learn a few tricks to speed up the update installation process, as well as ways to enforce that updates are installed to computers in your environment.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

When it comes to ensuring your users are happy, two things might be top of mind – make sure that users can always get to their email no matter where they are; and, provide them with access to files and documents they need to work with when they need them. This track is all about teaching you the skills to keep your users happy. You will learn how properly deploy SharePoint in physical and virtual environments, as well as how to migrate to Exchange Server 2010 to take advantage of the many new enhancements to help safeguard your users’ data. You will also learn how manage changes in your SharePoint-based infrastructure, find out best practices on securing your SharePoint-based data, and how to manage both your SharePoint-based and Exchange-based infrastructure more efficiently to ensure higher availability. Finally, you will see how to leverage features of SharePoint and PerformancePoint Services to provide useful dashboards and KPIs to help your users make better decisions.

Collaboration Day Featuring SharePoint

Session 1: Deploying Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 in a Virtual World
Virtualization and server consolidation are hot topics in the industry today for the efficiencies they provide and the potential cost savings. How do you ensure that when taking a SharePoint-based workload virtual, you won`t be introducing any bottlenecks that can impact performance and the user experience. In this session you will learn how to architect your deployment of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 and find out about common mistakes in the install process and how to overcome them. You will also learn how to properly configure accounts that SharePoint will use, and how to design your SharePoint-based topology for scalability. Next, you will find out how virtualization of your SharePoint-based infrastructure impacts your SharePoint-based farm design. You will also learn about the differences between physical and virtual hardware and the various configuration changes that should be made from the default Hyper-V settings in order to maximize performance in your SharePoint-based farm. We will cover some specific data points comparing the impact of these changes, as well as the different roles in a SharePoint-based farm and their applicability to being virtualized.

Session 2: Versioning and Upgrade of SharePoint-based Solutions
Now that you've deployed your first SharePoint application, you will probably get a long list of enhancement requests and maybe some bugs to fix. However it is not at all obvious how to update various site elements. For example, adding a field to a content type requires a completely different process than updating Web Part pages. In this you will learn how to update these and other elements including workflows, Web Parts, and list item event handlers based upon best practices. Thorny problems abound when it comes to making a change. Learn what strategies to apply and what behaviours to expect for different types of artifacts in SharePoint. In this session you'll see what the Patterns & Practices team put into their guidance for SharePoint-- and why.

Session 3: Comprehensive Security for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
Done implementing SharePoint? There's more you can do! Take the time to join us for this session to learn how to help secure your deployment of SharePoint with proper use of permissions. You will also learn about how to increase the security of your SharePoint-based farm for both internal and external access by extending SharePoint-based security with products that plug right in to the SharePoint-based farm configuration. You will learn how Forefront Security for SharePoint helps protect against viruses and malware and how to best implement it within your SharePoint farm. Learn how to provide extranet and internet-based remote access to your SharePoint sites by using products like Internet Security and Acceleration Server and others. Come and learn how to implement technologies built into to SharePoint as well as complementary products to help increase the security of your SharePoint-based infrastructure and help reduce your attack surface resulting in a more reliable SharePoint-based infrastructure.

Session 4: Using Microsoft Dashboards, Scorecards, and Analytics to Monitor the Health of your IT Infrastructure
If you thought that business intelligence (BI) is something that business analysts and finance folks should be using that come to this session to find out how to leverage Microsoft’s Business Intelligence product set to help you get a better handle on your IT infrastructure. Learn how to extract the volumes of monitoring data from System Center Operations Manager 2007 databases using SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) and then create a SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) cube that allows you to query that data in a more meaningful fashion. Finally, learn how Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and PerformancePoint can be used to create a dashboard and scorecards to display the overall health of your IT infrastructure in a more easily-understand way.

Bonus Session: Taking Your Application on the Road with Windows Mobile^® Software
As a developer of .NET-based applications, you can extend your desktop software to the Windows Mobile-based platform using the tools available within Visual Studio®, the Windows Mobile SDK and the .NET Compact Framework. This session will give you an overview of how Windows Mobile lets you use your existing infrastructure, business logic, and desktop code on a mobile device to innovate and help solve business problems. We’ll show you how to use the familiar Microsoft .NET Framework and .NET-based programming languages like Visual C#® development tool. You will also learn about new features in Windows Mobile 6.5 such as the Gesture APIs and the Widget Framework and how to use them appropriately. With the launch of Windows Marketplace for Mobile upon us, this session will help you take the next step for application testing and submission.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

When it comes to ensuring your users are happy, two things might be top of mind – make sure that users can always get to their email no matter where they are; and, provide them with access to files and documents they need to work with when they need them. This track is all about teaching you the skills to keep your users happy. You will learn how properly deploy SharePoint in physical and virtual environments, as well as how to migrate to Exchange Server 2010 to take advantage of the many new enhancements to help safeguard your users’ data. You will also learn how manage changes in your SharePoint-based infrastructure, find out best practices on securing your SharePoint-based data, and how to manage both your SharePoint-based and Exchange-based infrastructure more efficiently to ensure higher availability. Finally, you will see how to leverage features of SharePoint and PerformancePoint Services to provide useful dashboards and KPIs to help your users make better decisions.

Communications Day Featuring Microsoft Exchange 2010

Session 1: Architecture of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
This session describes the overall architecture of Exchange Server 2010 and outlines key improvements made from previous releases of Exchange Server. This session sets the foundation for the remainder of the sessions taking place during the day. You will learn about each of the server roles in Exchange Server 2010, how they have changed from previous releases and what this means in designing and implementing your Exchange architecture, as well as guidance on how to architect Exchange Server 2010 in a variety of scenarios.

Session 2: Transition and Deployment of Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
In this session we cover the migration planning and deployment path to move an organization from Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or Exchange Server 2007 to Exchange Server 2010. You will learn best practices on migrating each of the major components of previous Exchange Server releases such as the mailbox store, unified communications, public folders, and mobile and web-based client access to Exchange Server 2010. Tips and tricks on how to reduce the impact on users during the transition and ensure mail keeps flowing are also covered.

Session 3: High Availability in Microsoft Exchange Server 2010
Welcome to the future! The future of Exchange Server high availability, that is. In this session, we reveal the changes and improvements to the built-in high availability platform in Exchange Server 2010. Exchange Server 2010 includes a unified framework for high availability and disaster recovery that is quick to deploy and easy to manage. Learn about all of the new features in Exchange Server 2010 that make it the most resilient, highly available version of Exchange Server ever.

Session 4: Exchange Server 2010 Management Tools
Exchange Server 2010 includes new capabilities that make the operation of your Exchange environment more efficient. Come and learn how we've made the Exchange Management Console more powerful, extended the reach of PowerShell, and made it easier to delegate management tasks.

8:00 - Breakfast and Registration
9:00 - Sessions begin

Finally, the track that promises to make you not only a better developer but a better person through foundational techniques in object oriented design and advanced features in the .NET framework! Fix almost any piece of ugly code and make it pretty! Learn how to layer an application so you never have to do a version 2.0 rewrite ever again! Find out the secret of real object oriented programming! Discover how to push features like generics, lambdas and LINQ to objects in ways that you never thought you could! Help earn more money! Be in demand! Get promoted! Heck, stay employed! This is your future after attending the Developer Foundations track! Warning: if you do not want to be known as the leanest, meanest, software development machine that ever lived, please don't attend this track!

Session 1: S-O-L-I-D : The Five OO Principles that will Change your Life Forever
Can’t believe you just got passed over at the club - again - because you didn’t know real object orientation? Thought that the sure-fire way to third base was knowing how to write a constructor? Thought you had the evening all figured out because you read an example of Cat inheriting from Animal? Think again. Annoyed by all those homely elitist jerks that still score all the time because people say they are OO masters? Well, it’s time to turn the tables and learn object oriented programming the way real men and women do it - the SOLID way! Quit getting drinks dumped all over you and stand up for yourself by learning the principles that turned others just like you into the buffest, hottest, men and women in the software development industry! Trust us, once you learn what SOLID really means and how to use its previously forbidden techniques you will always be in demand, professionally and more importantly physically! Cohesion, encapsulation, and everyone’s favourite topic - coupling - are just some of the things we’ll talk about as we transform you into the OO powerhouse that no company can possibly refuse! Come to this session and we’ll even throw in a special bonus topic: What’s POCO and why you need to know about it to be hired in the coming decade!

Session 2: Going from 0 to 100 Dollars per Hour with the .NET You Never Knew
Getting tired of seeing software developers lounging on yachts and sipping margaritas all day and wondering when the “good life” is coming your way? We’ll give you a hint, true software development success starts with understanding:

• How generics can be used for more than just collections
• The true power of lambdas and anonymous methods
• The ins and outs of LINQ to objects
• Proper error handling beyond try-catch-finally
• The importance of regular bathing

This presentation will give you guidance on everything else - and more - so that you too can say that .NET helped you retire by the time you were 30!

Session 3: Layers, the Secret Language of Architects
Disclaimer: This is not the “here’s your data layer, business layer, UI layer” talk that your father heard 20 years ago at a conference somewhere. However, this is the talk that will launch you into the world of rapid promotions, limousine rides, and champagne parties - the world of the senior developer/IT architect. Tired of slumming it for “the man”? Come to the presentation that will show you how to become “the man”! Seams? Design by contract? Services that aren’t prefixed by “web”? Repositories? Anti-corruption layers? (Gasp!) Domain-Driven Design? Do you know how that guy or girl at your office was able to negotiate foot massages and a daily breakfast buffet into their contract? They knew all of these terms and how to use them to build flexible and maintainable systems - and after attending this presentation so will you!

Session 4: Refactoring for Fun and Profit
Are you ashamed of your application? Does your architecture make you want to go home and weep in the shower? Heck, would it be nice if your application seemed to have architecture? This is the presentation for you! Come see how the art of refactoring can help fix your code, fix your house, and maybe even fix your dog! We’re going to show you how to TAKE CONTROL of your codebase without simply tearing everything down and starting over! There are countless applications with a tangled code-base that are begging for even a semi-talented software developer to come in, work their magic, and become the hero of their organization! If you want to become indispensable to your company, co-workers, family, and friends, come to this session.

Bonus Session: How ISVs can strengthen their business by Working with Microsoft
Curious on how your software development company can get the most out of working with Microsoft? We have a variety of different programs for Startups all the way through to established, mature businesses. Come learn how you can gain access to free Microsoft licenses and leverage reseller program that help establish competitive advantages. Partner Account Managers from Microsoft Canada’s Independent Software Vendor team will be on hand to provide you with the details and answer questions you may have.